Chapter XLII: Part VI: Lansquenet

The "Dépôt de Portées."

This trick is about the most simple and dangerous that I have yet described, and the performance of it is unfortunately very easy.

The Greek must place on the pack, at the moment when he is dealer, a series of cards, called "portées," so as to secure beforehand several _refaits_.

These "portées" are composed of ten cards, and are arranged, for example, as follows:--

1. Queen.
2. Queen.
3. Ten.
4. Seven.
5. Ten.
6. Nine.
7. Nine.
8. Ace.
9. Eight.
10. Ace.

When this "portée" is exhausted, the Greek passes on the cards.

These cards are placed in such a manner about the sharper, as to allow him to get at them with ease.

To show you how this is done, I must strip my sharper of his coat.

It will be seen that, in the waistcoat of the figure on the next page, there are two pockets, called "costières," which are made on the left side.

When it is his turn to deal, he leans forward on the table, and, in so doing, brings his hand as near as possible to his "portées;" thus he can, when he pleases, take them out, as is shown in the fourth chapter, and put them on the pack.

The Greek having his coat buttoned at the top, this proceeding is prevented from being seen, and the opening at the bottom enables him to put his hand inside, without it being noticed.

Some Greeks are expert enough to abstract several _refaits_ from the pack itself, and put them into their side-pockets in readiness for their next hand. Others keep them hidden in their hand, and await an opportune moment for replacing them on the pack. So that, in this manner, there are never more cards in a pack than there ought to be.